1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of molding man-made boards to produce six-sided contoured furniture parts. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of molding a man-made board to produce a contoured furniture part, such as a drawer front, cabinet door, table top, and the like. A fiber-board or particle board blank is first formed and cut to a size slightly larger than interior dimension of a mold. The cut blank can be pre-treated with a sealer, preferably including a release agent, and is then molded at a temperature of at least 500.degree. F. to form the blank into its final shape.
The process of the present invention relates to a "post-press" or second press molding operation for molding a fiberboard or particle board into a six-sided part having a desired shape. The fiberboard or particle board substrate is formed by depositing a mass of fibers onto a support member, by either a dry deposition process or wet deposition process known in the art of papermaking or fiberboard manufacture, and then consolidating the fibers under heat and pressure. Typical products made by these processes are medium density fiberboard and particle board.
After board consolidation, the blank is cut from the board to a size slightly larger than interior dimensions of a mold cavity. The consolidated cut blank is thereafter "post-press molded" in a mold having a desired internal configuration to mold the consolidated fiberboard blank into a six-sided part having a desired shape and to form a surface coloration and design corresponding to darkly stained natural wood or other natural materials, such as cork, slate and the like. For the purpose of the present invention, a "post-press molding" operation refers to a molding step performed on a consolidated man-made board which changes the dimensions of the consolidated board in all three of its dimensions.
It is necessary to form the furniture part of the present invention in two separate operations. The first operation forms a consolidated man-made board, in a manner common in the art of forming a fiberboard, such as medium density hardboard. The second step comprises "post-press molding" which changes the overall dimensions of the consolidated fiberboard along its length, width and height to form a six-sided contoured board having dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the mold cavity. It is quite surprising that a "post-press molding" operation is effective in substantially altering the dimensions of a consolidated fiberboard in all three dimensions to produce a six-sided embossed part without visible fiber tearing or delamination.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is very difficult to both densify and restructure the surface of a consolidated fiberboard without destroying the fiber-to-fiber surface welds referred to in this assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,076 and co-pending application Ser. No. 739,184 filed Nov. 5, 1976.
An article entitled "Wood Embossing Machines Cut Production Steps For `Carved` Parts" by Bruce Scully, appearing in Furniture Design & Manufacturing, February, 1977, pages 30-33 and an article entitled "Two New Consepts in Embossing" by Darrell Ward, appearing in Woodworking & Furniture Digest, June, 1977, pages 46-50, relate to embossing materials, including fiberboard, in making furniture parts, but do not suggest molding a man-made board to produce six-sided parts as disclosed herein.